Air valve



J. J. MURPHY Nov. 14, 1933.

AIR V/ALVE Filed June 11, 1932 1N VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED7STA'TES PATENT. OFFICE "1 7 1,935,056 '7 V I AIR VALVE James J. Murphy, New Haven, Conn. Application June 11, 1932. Serial No. 616,579 g l 3 Claims. (01. 236 -63) I The present inventionhas relation to air valves used in heating systems and one object of the invention, amongst others, is to produce an efficient article of-simplifled construction thereby facilitating the manufacture and assembling of the parts thereof.

The improvements introduced by this invention are applicable especially toan ordinary commontype of airvalvefiwhich comprises a closed casing forming a valvebody andhaving a threaded: nipple extendingtherefrom-providing means for connecting thevalve to a radiator. In general practice an outlet valve at the topof said casing, controlled by a thermostatic device, permits the escape of airfrom said. valve bodyandatthe bottom f said valve body a siphon tube having an outlet within the radiatoris provided todrain back into theradiator any Water that might accumulate within said valve body. v

In accordance with the usual .practicethe thermostatic device. is composed o f a hollowfloating body hermetically sealed and havinga diaphragm or. flexible bottom. Said body contains a volatile r fluid such for example as alcohol or ether which readily vaporizes. when-heated. bythe, medium used with the heating system. The vaporization ofv said fluid. creates expansion causing the deflexure of said diaphragm. Said thermostatic device carriesat the upper end a valveclosing ele- 3 ment and said device rests on a seat locatediat the bottom of the valve body. The defiexure of said diaphragm causes said valve element tooper ate to close} the air out-letvalve and therefore when the determineddegree of heat is reached within the heating system the air will then have been expelled and the air valvewill automatically close. The usual siphon or tube for draining water from the valve body is connected to said a body so as to permit of a limited loose movement mainly to facilitate installation of the device.

Heretofore it has been customary in practice to provide a seat on the bottom of the valve for the thermostatic controlling device. This seat is employed also as means for holding said drain tube 4 in place and at the same time permitting an entirely free rotary movement and a limited inward and outward sliding movement. With previous constructions or arrangements it is necessary to secure the aforesaid seat to the bottom of the Valve body, also said seat must be precisely located so as to not interfere with the free movement of said siphon or drain tube and at the same time said seat must be firm to provide a proper support for the thermostatic controlling "device.

According to the present invention various im: provements are introduced onebeing thattheseat for the thermostatiocontrolling device is entirely independent of the siphon holding means and furthermoresaid seat is placed by a spring snap actionand self-retentively held in an immovable position thereby eliminating the comparatively difficult operation of precisely; locating and soldering said seat to the 'bottom of the valve body as has heretofore been the, practice. Other improved features are introduced such as the construction andarrangement of a separable base for the valve body which provides for simple means for holding the siphonto permit limited free movement thereof andat the same time the inlet end of [saidsiphon is located-close-to the bottom of thevalve bodythereb'y insuring complete'drainage of water from said body. 1

The aforesaid salient features of the invention and the details of construction thereof .will: be hereinafter morefully described with reference to theaccomp'anying drawing'wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device; I 3 1 ,1

Figure 2 is a longitudinallsectiona-l view of the improved device; l r s Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and o 1 Figure isa detailperspectiveview of the float supporting device J Describing the ernbodiment of. the invention as shown in the said drawing, the improved device comprises the valve body composed of a shell 1 mounted on a base 2. This base forms a closure means for the open bottom 3 of the shell land said base istightly secured to said shell by engagement of the external threads on the end thereof with'the internal threads of the upwardly extending walls 4 of the base member. It will be understood that this joint must be tight to withstand pressure; therefore the joint may be further tightened by soldering or any other suitable means.

The base 2 is preferably composedof a forging and the base has an extension integral therewith which forrns a nipple 5 having thethreaded end 6 permitting the securing of the device to a radiator '7, for example.

The extension or nipple 5 has a bore 8 of a o v diameter such that a siphon or drain tube 9 is loosely received therein. This siphon 9 passes through said bore 8 and said tube has an inner end 10 which is flared or expanded. To prevent the pulling out of said tube 9 the stock around i the edgeof the inner end of said bore is upset to form burs 11 and this operation is performed after said siphon is inserted. These burs act as stops to prevent pulling out of the siphon and cannot interfere with the free turning of sliding movement of the siphon which movements are necessary to permit the siphon to adjust itself particularly when the device is being installed. The bottom or well of the base 2 has the channel 12 leading to the bore 8 of the nipple 5. It will be understood the purpose of the siphon is to drain any water that may aocumulate and with the provision of said channel the siphon will operate with the best results towards completely draining said valve body and at the same time the circulation of the heating medium, steam for example, through the nipple or connection is in no way interfered with.

The main purpose of the improved valve is to effect expulsion of the air from the valve and in fact from the complete heating system. The improved valve operates in the usual manner and has valve elements operating automatically. These valve elements comprise the thermostatic float 13 having the flexible bottom or diaphragm 14. The float 13 contains a small amount of a highly volatile liquid such as alcohol or ether which vaporizes when heated causing the deflexure of the diaphragm 14 thereby raising the float 13. The usual pin valve member 15 is carried at the upper end of said float and this valve member closes the outlet 16 in the plug 1'7 which is tightly secured in the upper end of the shell 1. This shell has the opening 18 at the top with inwardly and downwardly turned edges forming a socket for the threaded end of the plug 17. To ins'uretight closure by the plug additional securing means are employed such as the soldering 19 around the edge of said opening.

The float 13 is loosely supported within the valve body and rests on the seat 20 and this seat is composed preferably of flexible sheet metal having a slightly domed top 21 and three legs forming a tripod-like device. Said support is made of comparatively thin hard sheet metal, said legs having a certain amount of spring therein.- These legs have outwardly turned feet 23 and in the position for operation these feet rest on an annular ledge 24 formed around the edge of the well portion of the base 2. An annular undercut groove 25 is formed around the inner edge of said ledge and in positioning the supporting device 20 the legs thereof are sprung sothat the feet 23 are engaged under tension in said groove 25.

By means of the present improvements the support for the valve operating float 13 is selfretentively held in a firm position under tension and said seat is thereby held against vibration or displacement. Furthermore in placing said supporting seat precise location thereof is not required and thus, besides eliminating the operation of soldering to fasten said support as is in common practice, the support may readily be placed in position. Said support is entirely clear at all times of the enlarged or flared end of the siphon tube; consequently there is no interference to the free movement required for said siphon tube.

It should be particularly noted that the support for the float as above. described is entirely independent of the means for holding the siphon tube in its operative position where-it will serve as an efficient means to drain the water from the valve back into the radiator. Furthermore both the support for the float and the means for holding the siphon tube will in no way interfere with the free passage of air or steam through said valve.

Various modifications may be made in carrying out the details of the invention hereinbefore described and it is tobe understood that any modification coming fairly within the terms; of the appended claims shall be covered thereby.

I claim: 7

1. An article of the class described comprising a hollow valve body having an annular ledge therein, an air outlet valve for said body, an operating device for said valve, a seat for said device, said seat resting on said annular ledge and having sprung legs whereby said seat is held 110 against upward movement in operative position by pressure of said legs against the side walls of said body. I

2. An article of the class described comprising a valve body, an air outlet for said body, a 115 valve for opening and closing said outlet, thermostatic means for operating said valve, a seat for said means, said seat having outwardly spreading legs engaged under pressure within a groove in the wall of saidv body. I

3. An article of the class described comprising a valve body, an air outlet for said body, a valve opening and closing said outlet, a thermo-f static float operating said valve, a seat for said float, means whereby said seat is self-retentively" 12 5 held in an operative position within said body, and said means comprising supporting legs, an annular ledge in said body and a groove retentively receiving extremities of said legs.

JAMES J. MURPHY.. 1'30 

